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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Positive messages

Gamers can kill without facing any repercussions, so no positive message.

Positive role models & representations

Gamers can play noble, heroic characters, such as Luke Skywalker, or powerful malevolent forces, such as Darth Vader. Some characters are positive role models, others are not.

Ease of play

Simple controls; easy to learn.

Violence

Combat is frenetic, makes up the bulk of gameplay, whether it's firing blasters, shooting pulse cannons, using explosive detonators, or using a lightsaber, Force powers such as a choke hold, Force push. Enemies cry out, fall down, explode, but there's no blood.

Sex

Language

Consumerism

Based on one of the most successful and iconic movie franchises, released weeks before the next installment in movie theaters (Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens). Franchise covers movies, TV shows, books, comics, action figures, much more. Players can purchase special editions of this game, including a PlayStation 4 bundle; downloadable content (DLC) will be available for purchase, too.

Drinking, drugs & smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Star Wars Battlefront is a first-person or third-person shooter game, so be aware violent combat makes up the bulk of the gameplay. Some of the weapons are lifelike -- such as a blaster (pistol), a ightsaber (sword), a rocket launcher, and bombs -- even though this game is clearly based on science fiction (you can pilot giant AT-AT Walkers, race hovering speeder bikes, or dogfight ships in space). Enemies cry out, fall down, or, in some cases, explode into thin air, but there's no blood or gore. The timing of the release of this game, only a few weeks before the release of Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens, combined with downloadable content and its tie-in with other franchise merchandise could make gamers interested in other Star Wars-related items.

What's it about?

STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT drops players into intense intergalactic battles based in iconic Star Wars locations -- such as the snowy planet of Hoth, the forest moon of Endor, and the sandy dunes of Tatooine -- pitting Rebel forces against the Empire. Along with being able to play as (and against) familiar characters based on the original movie trilogy, you'll be able to pilot beloved vehicles, ranging from AT-ATs and AT-STs to X-wings and TIE fighters to speeder bikes and even the Millennium Falcon. Supporting up to 40 simultaneous players for epic battles, the game includes many online multiplayer modes and mission types.

Is it any good?

This fast-paced, large-scale shooter is a really good game that looks great and sounds even better, thanks to extraordinarily epic music and sound effects. It's accessible, and the controls feel right. The massively multiplayer battles are a blast, especially in modes such as Cargo (capture-the-flag), Heroes vs. Villains, Blast (Team Deathmatch), Fighter Squadron, and Walker Assault. There's a good amount of variety in characters, weapons, vehicles, locations, and modes. So, what's the problem?

Despite a lot of variety, after a couple of hours of gameplay you might feel like the magic is wearing off. Battles sequences can be repetitive and redundant. There are very few weapon upgrades, and the secondary weapons aren’t worth writing home about. Some modes aren’t well conceived, executed or balanced. A few technical bugs remind you it's a game, and the voice acting isn't really so hot. But seriously, Star Wars Battlefront is fun. Casual Star Warsfans will think this game's the bomb. Hard-core shooter fans will likely think it's shallow -- trading depth for breadth -- which isn’t inaccurate. Despite its watered-down gameplay (that would only be a B-grade experience without the awesome Star Wars lore), gamers should fall for the charm in one of the best Star Wars games to date.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about consumerism. Should gamers see Star Wars Battlefront as a clear marketing ploy that's not-so-coincidentally tied to the launch of the next movie blockbuster? Or is a game like this exactly what a Star Wars fan wants, and can it stand on its own even without the Star Wars license?

Talk about violence in games such as Battlefront. Is the violence in Battlefront OK because of its obvious science-fiction roots, along with the lack of blood, or is there a problem because of the massive amounts of open warfare conducted throughout the game?

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